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tions in that of George II. It may be faid, that thefe laft were the fruit of two Rebellions. True; but the Rebellions had far other objects in view than obtaining any fayourable change in the condition of the People. After they were quafhed, it was feen that the power of Ariftocracy in Scotland had been too great, and this evil was effectually cured by the Laws laft mentioned.

In the prefent Reign, neither force nor fear occafioned the reftitution of forfeited families, the emancipation of colliers and falters, the exclufion of Revenue-officers in matters of Election, the Police Board laid alide, and the many encouragements given to Arts, Navigation, Commerce, and Manufactures, by which this Country has become great and flourishing.

Were it neceffary to go farther back, we fhould find, even in lefs enlightened times, many important Laws pafTed for fecuring the fubjects; both in property and perfon Judges named for life, and made independent; leafes of land real, and the intereft of tenants fecured; public regifters introduced; fchools ar colleges endowed, by which learning was diffufed, and liberality of fentiment promoted, which, joined to the duties of Religion, form the true fources of genuine Liberty and rational Government.

1 hefe and many other wholefome Laws, were the fpontaneous effect of free and deliberate difcuffion in Parliament; and it is not unlikely that other improvements may still be made in the fame manner. But meetings of the people called to overawe the Legiflature, and headed by men who, fuppofing their intentions to be good, cannot have the necellary evidence before them, muft always tend to obftruct and defeat, never to forward, any wife meafure. These men ought to be taught, that their meetings are directly in the face of Law, as well as good Government; and if it be true, that, like Catiline's Confpirators, fome of them have bound themselves by folemn oaths, the fhocking inpropriety of this muft fill the mind of every fober and thinking man with indignation.

As to the Liberty of the Press, it must be consistent with the recollection of all of us, how much this has, of late years, overleapt its ancient boundaries; and furely thofe who have been fo audacious in their attacks against all Order-all Law-all Government-every thing decent, peaceable, and becoming-and have not even fpared religion itfelf, muft acknowledge, that hitherto the liberty of fpeaking and writing, even to excefs, has received little checks from Courts of Law.

I have

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I have only to add, upon the fubject of Elections (another ample topic of popular discourse), that if the rights of voting in Counties are to be altered or explained, and the ancient Conftitution of our Boroughs to undergo what is called a Reform, and if the present time be proper for such difquifitions, this Court will earnestly pray that the following important objects may be kept in view: ift, That the fundamental principles of Common Law, and permanent juftice between man and man, may be as little exchanged as poffible for the untried theories of political expediency: 2d, That the multiplication of law-fuits may be avoided, or at least that fome other Court than this may be found for the decifion of them: And, 3d, That the morals of the lower claffes of men in the Country may be kept as free from the hazard of corruption as circumftances will admit.

Let us, my Lord, be thankful for the bleffings we enjoy. Let us be careful not rafhly to fhrake the ancient fabric of our Conftitutión; for it may be very difficult to rear a better one. Let us examine well every fpeculative plan of Reform, a word which has of late been much abufed; and let us remember, that we owe it to the memory of our forefathers, fome of whom bled in the cause of Liberty-and to the regard which every man ought to have for his character, the welfare of his family, and the good of his Coun try, to hand down, whole and entire, to our pofterity, those invaluable Rights, which we poffefs, and which they ought to inherit, as the natural refult of a free and happy Conflitution.

PUBLISHED FOR J. DOWNES.

THREE Dialogues on the Rights of Britons, between a Farmer, a Sailor, and a Manufacturer.

Price 2d. each, or 25 for 35. 6d.

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REPUBLICANS AND LEVELLERS.

NUMBER V.

CONTAINING

The fatal Effects of Republican Principles, exemplified in the Hiftory of England from the Death of Charles I. to the Reftoration of Charles II.

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THE FATAL EFFECTS OF REPUBLICAN PRINCIPLES, EXEMPLIFIED IN THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND, FROM THE DEATH OF CHARLES I. TO THE RESTORATION OF CHARLES II.

THE Prefbyterians and pretended Patriots, who had been the great promoters of the measures purfued against Charles I, and had reduced that unhappy monarch to the mercy of the parliament, were unwilling to carry their enmity further; but the fcene of confufion, which they had opened, could not be closed at their pleasure. The Republicans and Sectaries aimed at fomething more. Through their means the Prefbyterians and patriots were violently excluded by a military force from entering the House of Commons. In confequence of this, a vote was carried against the King, then a prifoner, which led, foon after, to his execution. The Parliament (ridiculously called the Rump Parliament) after his death, took the Government into their own hands, and carried it on, in the form of a republic. This form did not last long; the intrigues of Cromwel, and the difpofition of the nation towards a monarchical government, concurred in favouring the ambition of that fingular man; and

A

he

he foon affumed the fupreme authority, under the title of Protector. When he died, the authority devolved to his fon; but he had little talent or inclination for fuch a ftation; and it foon paffed again into the hands of the Republicans. However, thefe fluctuations in the fovereign power wore out the patience of the people; they faw there was no hope of quiet till the antient conftitution was restored; and in a very fhort time the nation, with one voice, recalled the fon of their murdered fovereign, and restored him to the throne of his ancestors.

The progrefs of these events affords an admirable lesson to the prefent generation. It will fhew that the notions of reform and revolutions now current, are not wholly new; that they have been tried in this kingdom already; that they produced infinite mifchief in the experiment; and that they ended, in the return of the nation to the old approved conftitution of the country, in which alone, it could find a refting place, after the horrors of infurrections, confpiracies, and rebellion. For this purpose I fhall felect fome paffages from that dif cerning hiftorian and philofopher, Mr. Hume; and I shall begin with the appointment of Oliver Cromwel to the lieutenancy of Ireland, in March, 1649.

The new Lieutenant immediately applied himfelf with his wonted vigilance to make preparations for his expedition. Many diforders in England it behoved him previoufly to compofe. All places were full of danger and inquietude. Tho' men, aftonished with the fucceffes of the army, remained in feeming tranquillity, fymptoms of the highest discontent every where appeared. The English, long accustomed to a mild government, and unacquainted with diffimulation, could not conform their speech and countenance to the prefent neceflity, or pretend attachment to a form of government, which they generally regarded with fuch violent abhorrence. It was requifite to change the magistracy of London, and to degrade as well as punith, the mayor and fome of the aldermen, before the proclamation for the abolition of Monarchy could be publifhed in the city. An engagement being framed to fupport the Commonwealth without King or House of Peers, the army were with fome difficulty brought to fubfcribe it; but though it was impofed upon the rest of the nation under fevere penalties, no less than the putting all refufers out of the protection of law; fuch obftinate reluctance was obferved in the people, that even the imperious parliament were obliged to defilt from it. The fpirit of fanaticifm, by which that affembly had at first been strongly supported, was now turned, in a great meafure against them. The pulpits being chiefly filled with prefbyterians,

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